Postbag Edition: Ninewells Community Garden
Kathy Clugston hosts a postbag edition answering questions on composting leaves, tomatoes with tough skins, weed-suppressing membranes and olive tree care.
Kathy Clugston and GQT team have packed their wellies for a trip to the Ninewells Community Garden in Dundee.
Kathy is joined by Matthew Pottage, Neil Porteous and Kirsty Wilson to explore the grounds whilst delving into the GQT Postbag together.
Among todays questions, the panellists break down which leaves are better to compost than others, tackle a listener鈥檚 battle against tomatoes with tough skins, and debate the long鈥憈erm impact of weed鈥憇uppressing membranes on soil health.
They also explore the ins and outs of olive tree care, suggest the perfect daisies to plant in a pair of cherished old police boots, and consider which dramatic grasses can bring structure and movement to a no鈥憁ow lawn rooted in very sandy soil.
Later in the show, Garden Facilitator at Ninewells Community Garden, Mary Colvin, leads the team on a tour of the vibrant community garden, sharing how gardening and green spaces can boost wellbeing, support recovery, and promote a holistic approach to health.
Producer: Dan Cocker
Assistant Producer: Rahnee Prescod
A Somethin' Else production for 麻豆社 Radio 4
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Plant List
Q1 鈥� How to prune misshapen Bramley & Egremont Russet apples? (4鈥�09鈥�)
Neil Porteous
- Malus domestica 'Bramley's Seedling', Bramley apple
- Malus domestica 'Egremont Russet', Egremont Russet apple
听
Q2 鈥� Are some leaves better to compost than others? (6鈥�45鈥�)
Matthew Pottage
- Betula, birch
- Fagus sylvatica, common beech
- Quercus robur, common oak
- Platanus 脳 hispanica, London plane
Kirsty Wilson
- Pinus, pine
听
Q3 鈥� What can I do about worm casts spoiling my lawn? (11鈥�14鈥�)
听
Q4 鈥� What dramatic grasses can be added to a no鈥憁ow lawn on very sandy soil? (13鈥�10鈥�)
Neil Porteous
- Chionochloa听flavescens, broad-leaved snow tussock
- Chionochloa flavicans, miniature toetoe
- Chionochloa conspicua, plumed tussock grass
听Kirsty Wilson
- Stipa gigantea, golden oats
- Miscanthus听sinensis, eulalia
听
Matthew Pottage
- Molinia caerulea subsp. caerulea 'Edith Dudszus', purple moor鈥慻rass 'Edith Dudszus'
听
Q5 鈥� Is weed鈥憇uppressing membrane bad for soil? (19鈥�49鈥�)
听
Q6 鈥� Can the panel suggest how to improve growing results for echinacea seeds? (23鈥�02鈥�)
Matthew Pottage
- Echinacea purpurea, purple coneflower
听
Q7 鈥� Why do my tomatoes always have tough skins?
Neil Porteous
- Solanum lycopersicum 'Ailsa Craig', tomato 'Ailsa Craig'
- Solanum lycopersicum 'Shirley', tomato 'Shirley'
听
Q8 鈥� How to care for an olive tree: is it hardy & should it be repotted? (29鈥�17鈥�)
- Olea europaea, olive
听
Q9 鈥� What is a large, dramatic indoor tree that the panel would recommend for a warm house? (32鈥�46鈥�)
Matthew Pottage
- Ficus benjamina, weeping fig
- Ficus lyrata, fiddle鈥憀eaf fig
- Yucca elephantipes 'Jewel', spineless yucca 'Jewel'
- Yucca elephantipes 'Puck', spineless yucca 'Puck'
- Beaucarnea recurvata, elephant鈥檚 foot
Kirsty Wilson
- Sparrmannia africana, African hemp
- Howea forsteriana, sentry palm (syn. Kentia palm)
Neil Porteous
- Abutilon spp., Indian mallow (flowering maple)
听
Q10 鈥� What is happening to my houseplant where all the leaves were small and variegated but now the new emerging leaves are small and all white? (35鈥�46鈥�)
Matthew Pottage
- Philodendron spp., philodendron
听
Q11 鈥� What daisies do the panel suggest to planting in a pair of old police boots that hold sentimental value? (38鈥�03鈥�)
Neil Porteous
- Felicia听amelloides听'Santa Anita', blue daisy 'Santa Anita'
- Diascia spp., twinspur (diascia)
- Alonsoa听meridionalis
听
Matthew Pottage
- Delosperma spp., ice plant
- Mesembryanthemum听cordifolium, heart-leaved fig marigold
- Erigeron karvinskianus, Mexican fleabane
听
Kirsty Wilson
- Erigeron听karvinskianus听'Lavender Lady鈥�, Mexican fleabane 'Lavender Lady'
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